


Zeroed Out

by IncendiaGlacies



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: F/M, RipFic, Soulmate-Identifying Timers, Timeship Week 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-06
Updated: 2017-10-06
Packaged: 2019-01-09 19:21:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12282816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IncendiaGlacies/pseuds/IncendiaGlacies
Summary: Rip’s soulmate timer struck zero. Two things happened.1. He meets Miranda Coburn2. He belatedly notices the AI: GideonWritten for Timeship Week 2017. Day Six: Soulmate AU





	Zeroed Out

**Author's Note:**

> I almost forgot to post this, completely slipped my mind it's still Timeship week. But this is the first fic I wrote for the week, so enjoy!

_20, 19, 18, 17…_

Rip’s fluttering heart could barely take it as he felt the countdown of his timer slowly tick closer and closer to zero. Any second now, he would meet his soulmate. Of course, love did seem to be a rather outdated value, and was highly frowned upon by the Time Masters. Rip chastised himself, he shouldn’t be this interested. He had to stay focused, now more than ever. But that small corner of his heart couldn’t help but beat with excitement. He knew he was one of the few, secret ones in the organization who still had a timer. The Time Masters had tried to wipe them all out, but Mother had let him and a few other siblings – he didn’t know who, but he knew they were there – keep theirs.

He had to keep his sleeves long all the time, not wanting to show the constant countdown on his wrist. He could never show it to anyone, ever. But every now and then in his alone time he’d roll up his sleeves and watch the numbers tick down. Sometimes there would be a jump down, and other times a jump up depending on the time travelling he was doing at the time. It seemed even the time it took to meet his soulmate wasn’t linear.

Rip forced himself to pay attention, Druce was giving him a tour of the various timeships they had available for the new graduates, for when he would become a full-fledged captain. As Druce took him onboard the third ship of the day – the Waverider (not a very intimidating name compared to others but still rather large) – Rip’s timer struck zero. Two things happened.

  1. He meets Miranda Coburn. His soon to be training partner for the remainder of his schooling. He’s heard of her obviously (she’s one of the top students after all), but never actually crossed paths with her before. She’s beautiful and speaks her mind, and she’s fully prepared to put up a fight for the Waverider. Rip is almost content to give it to her right then and there, but her mentor mentions another ship for her to see so she leaves with him, tossing Rip a smirk as she does so. Rip watches her as she walks away, his timer stopped. She’s it for him. His soulmate.
  2. When he turns back around he finally notices the holographic form of the sentient AI on the ship. Gideon. Many years later he still blushes in embarrassment when Gideon brings it up – he barely even looked at her! But to be fair, at the time his mind was preoccupied on other things.



 

* * *

 

 

Time passed – when it could, clearly not at the Vanishing Point, but the statement still holds true – and Rip found himself in an illicit relationship with Miranda. Then they got caught and found themselves at a crossroads.

“I could never be a part of an organization that doesn’t believe in what I know to be true,” Miranda pleaded with him to understand, “But the Time Masters need Rip Hunter. I hope that one day you can understand why I did this. And maybe you’ll think of me then.”

Rip shook his head as he held her face, “I already do understand. And I won’t need to think of you then, I’m always thinking of you. And I’ll be with you then as well.”

“Rip, you can’t,” Miranda argued, “It’s not worth the risk!”

“Yes you are,” Rip insisted. He sighed and rolled up the sleeve and showed her the zeroed out timer, “I know you’ve seen it before, but I never told you when it stopped. The second I stepped foot on the Waverider, and you were standing right there.”

Miranda’s fingers brushed over the zeros in reverence as she looked at him, “For me? You can’t be sure though. I don’t have a timer for you to connect with.”

“No, you don’t,” Rip admitted. Miranda’s mother had gotten rid of the timers on all her children, as per the rules. If she had one, then Rip could have checked, placed their zeroed timers together and felt the connection. After all, if your timer stopped in a crowded room where many other timers stopped, how could you know who your soulmate was? Connecting was essential to make sure, basic human biology. Even a Time Master knew that. It was an experience he wished he could have, but would never get. But it was alright, as long as he got Miranda. “But I don’t need a timer to tell me what I already know: that I’m in love with you and I want to be with you.”

Miranda shook her head at him but there was a smile on her face, “You are so stubborn, all the time!”

“Like you’re not just as bad!” Rip playfully scolded her. He took her into his arms, “So, what do you say? Yes?” He knew it would be yes. He was already thinking of where to settle down, some place where he could visit often, but safe and off the radar of any time storms. He would get Gideon to help him choose a place when he got back to the ship.

“Yes,” Miranda agreed as she finally let Rip kiss her properly.

 

* * *

 

“Gideon, please!”

“Captain,” Gideon used her soothing tone, “I understand how much you are in great pain over-”

“You understand nothing!” Rip spat at her.

“You forget I’m connected with you on a neural level, every AI is with their Captain,” Gideon reminded him coolly, “I have let you travel back in time multiple times trying to fix this. I have watched you be starved and tortured and break even more every time you go back. I have felt it all and never once stopped you.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” Rip collapsed on the floor of his study and leaned against his desk. He ran his hands through his hair, “But I have to keep trying, Gideon. I have to.”

“You want to take people from out of time. Displace them indefinitely. I understand you want your revenge on Vandal Savage-”

“It’s not revenge, it’s justice!” Rip yelled at her.

“In a manner which could have catastrophic consequences on the timeline. You know the Time Masters’ protocols on this.”

“I do. But they won’t help, I know they won’t. I need a plan, Gideon. I need your help. Please,” Rip begged her.

“You could just as easily override my commands,” Gideon pointed out.

Rip felt a small smile on his face and let out a huff, “Like you’d ever let me. You’d probably throw me out the airlock if I ever tried. I know who holds the true power in this relationship.”

“So long as you do,” Gideon teased, glad that after months of him suffering she was able to get a glimpse of a smile on her Captain’s face.

Rip stayed silent for a few moments, considering his next words carefully. If he had any hope of fixing the timeline and seeing his wife and son again, he needed Gideon’s help. Slowly, he rolled up his sleeve and traced the zeros of his timer.

“It’s still here,” Rip told her. Of course Gideon knew about the timer, he couldn’t trust any other person with this information. But he knew Gideon’s loyalty to him outweighed anything else. “It’s supposed to disappear after your soulmate dies, but mine is still here. It has to mean something. There has to be a way to get her back. To get them back.”

Gideon stayed silent for a beat, “I understand how timers work; my databanks are filled with historical information on the subject. Captain, are you doing this because a mark on your body is dictating you to?”

“No,” Rip whispered as he covered the mark with his sleeve, “I’m doing this because they’re my family. I love them Gideon, I love them. And I don’t think I can-” Rip broke off, a sob wracking his body. He couldn’t do this without them.

“Alright.”

Rip stopped his crying and wiped his face. He looked to the ceiling where the clear voice had rang from, “Alright? You’ll do it.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“But – your protocols. We need to-”

“It won’t be a problem, Captain,” Gideon assured, “My primary protocols are your safety and happiness. Miranda and Jonas are everything to you. If I can choose people with the least impact to the timeline in all of history, then perhaps the timeline will also stay intact.”

“Gideon – I – thank you!” Rip breathed.

“Before this, you will need to go and hold a meeting with the Council,” Gideon reminded him.

“But they won’t help. Their stance on Savage’s reign is clear,” Rip frowned.

“I know, Captain,” Gideon said, “It’s all a part of the plan. Before we go off the grid, I will need all new updates on the timeline. I can do this while you hold the meeting. If we’re going to go renegade, then I prefer to do it in style.”

 

* * *

 

“Hey, what are you up to in here?” Sara asked as she knocked on the doorway of Rip’s study.

Rip looked up from his papers glancing at Sara absently, “Working on the next aberration. I’m thinking of having Martin start working with Gideon to help me out a bit.”

“That’s not a bad idea. I’m sure he’d love it,” Sara agreed. Honestly, the professor was such an adorable nerd. Sara moved around his study, touching random objects as she did.

Rip huffed as he realized she wasn’t planning on leaving any time soon, “Was there something else you needed?”

“Just thought I’d check in on you. Make sure you’re doing okay,” Sara shrugged.

Rip frowned, “I’m perfectly fine. Why?”

“Rip, we know how hard this is on you. Your family-”

“Died,” Rip finished as he took a seat on his desk, “Or more accurately was murdered in cold blood. But we ended Savage, and now we have more work to do.”

“It’s not something you get over that easily,” Sara said, thinking of her own loss of her sister.

“No, it isn’t. And I still live with that failure every day.”

“You didn’t fail,” Sara argued.

“Well, it certainly feels like it some days,” Rip sighed as he crossed his arms, “But other days it’s not as bad. It doesn’t hurt as much as it used to.” Having the Legends around helped with the pain, a newfound family in a way.

“Yeah, still hurts though,” Sara crossed her arms as she kicked at the ground. Rip reminded himself that this was a grown woman and not a child. Yet he couldn’t help but worry about her true intentions.

“Yes it does,” Rip agreed, “Sara, if there’s something you want to talk about you know I’m-”

“Your timer is still there,” Sara interrupted him changing the subject. Clearly she didn’t feel the need to talk through her own grief. Rip looked down at his sleeve in alarm, he hardly ever showed it. A habit from his Time Master days. But the sleeve was still rolled down hiding everything perfectly.

“How do you know that?” Rip asked with a frown.

“You and Jax were doing dishes the other night, and you rolled up your sleeve. We – me and Ray – we saw the zeros. They’re still there.”

“Yes. They are.”

“I was talking to Ray, he said that after Anna died his timer disappeared. Same thing happened to Kendra with Carter,” Sara gave him a questioning look.

“What’s your point?” Rip snapped.

“When we started this crusade, you said Miranda was your soulmate-”

“She is – was,” Rip corrected himself. Even now he wasn’t quite sure whether it should have been in the past or present tense. Or if he should have ever referred to Miranda as his soulmate in the first place.

“But she’s dead, and your timer is still there,” Sara repeated.

Rip ran a hand through his hair, “I don’t know what you want me to say. I – the second I stepped foot on the Waverider, I saw Miranda and my timer hit zero. What else could it mean?”

“Well did you connect with her?” Sara asked.

“No,” Rip admitted, “Miranda’s timer was removed as per the Time Master policy. I was an exception, thanks to Mother.”

“So maybe it wasn’t her,” Sara finished.

Rip raised an eyebrow, “And who pray tell would it be then? It was my first time meeting Miranda, no one else. She was the only new person to me.”

“Well-”

“Look Sara, I don’t have an answer for you,” Rip huffed, “I wish I did. I’ve had Gideon search through every single thing she could find on soulmate marks. I even asked Kendra questions about her own timer during her time onboard. But for whatever reason, my timer remains while my soulmate is dead. I thought maybe that meant I would see her again, that somehow she and Jonas could be alive. But clearly it didn’t work that way. And I’m left with a messed up timer. Seems fitting.”

Sara shrugged in sympathy, “You’re hardly the only one.” Rip gave her a small smile as he looked down at her own covered wrists. Both of them bore a timer – two separate soulmates. Apparently the rebirth granted her another soulmate.

“We could always have Gideon do some research on that if you’d like,” Rip offered.

“I have studied all historical documents of human knowledge on soulmate timers, Captain Hunter,” Gideon reminded him.

“And?” Sara asked.

“I’ve found them to be rather lacking in answers,” Gideon answered somewhat irritably. Rip frowned at her tone of voice, he never understood why she got so worked up over soulmates. He chalked it up to her being overprotective of him as always.

“So, looks like we’re stuck with messed up timers for life,” Sara smirked at him as she walked up next to him.

“It would seem so.”

“Just another part of being a Legend,” Sara nudged her shoulder against his.

“Apparently,” Rip leaned against her for support. Sara fidgeted with her wrist bands while Rip found his own fingers tracing the zeros on his wrist yet again. Zeroed out and still alone.

 

* * *

 

Sara, Jax and Rip wobbled as the floor around them shook. Rip reached out an arm for Gideon but she managed to steady herself without him.

“What’s happening?” Sara yelled.

“This place only existed because Rip believed it did,” Gideon explained as she made her way over to them, “Now that he knows the truth, it’s collapsing.”

“You two need to get out of here,” Rip urged his friends, “Thank you for everything you’ve done. But you need to leave now. I’ll be fine now. Thanks to you.”

Sara nodded sharply and turned to Jax, showing her bare wrist, “You need to get out of here and wake me up.”

Jax nodded, “See you both on the other side.” He pressed the button on his band and disappeared momentarily. Rip looked at Sara in worry, if she didn’t get out of here soon then she would be hurt.

“How will you get back?” Sara asked.

“I’ll take care of it,” Gideon told her, “Now that the Captain knows who he is, it won’t be difficult to guide him out.”

“At this point, I’m more concerned about you,” Rip said, “I can’t leave until I know both you and Jax are safe.”

Sara’s eyes widened, “I think I feel it. I better be seeing you soon, Rip.”

Then just like Jax, she too disappeared. Rip turned in a circle watching the destruction around him. Two of his friends were safe, now he only had to worry about his best friend. He couldn’t just leave her here all alone. Rip watched Gideon surveying the damage to the mindscape, her back to him. He reached out and grasped her forearm to turn her to him, their wrists touching as he did so. And he felt it.

It was an electric shock coursing through his bones, reigniting his heart. He could feel every nerve in his body tingling. He had heard from Jax and Martin that becoming Firestorm felt somewhat like connecting with a soulmate, seeing as how they were. Rip had them describe it to him before, but he never imagined it with this much intensity. Connecting. But before Rip could get a good taste of what it felt like – just the few seconds he had were amazing – Gideon tugged her arm away and stared at him with wide eyes.

“It’s you,” Rip breathed. Not caring for her protests he grabbed her wrist and stared at the zeros tattooed on it. He wondered how he had missed it before; when they had hugged, when she stood in front of him protectively. It didn’t make sense, she was an AI, she shouldn’t have a soulmate. Least of all, she shouldn’t have been Rip’s soulmate. Yet here she was.

“Captain, please,” Gideon pleaded, “You have to go now.”

“But, how?” Rip stared mesmerized at her wrist, “How can this even be?”

“I don’t know,” Gideon said frustrated, “And now really isn’t the best time to talk about it.”

“You knew,” Rip realized as he looked at her irritated expression, “All this time, you knew exactly who my soulmate was. That it was you.”

Gideon looked down guiltily, “Please, you need to leave. Now. Or it will be too late and-”

“What about you?” Rip asked worriedly, “I can’t just leave you here. You’ve been in this prison all this time with me. You’re what kept me sane. You guided me as you always have.”

“That is my purpose, Captain,” Gideon smiled at him softly.

Rip stepped even closer, holding on to her wrist the entire time, and looked into her eyes, “But if this place isn’t real, are you? Is this?” He squeezed her wrist.

Gideon nodded, “I’m afraid so. Though not in the way you’d like. I don’t exist in this form, and I never will. I’m sorry. But if you don’t leave now, you won’t exist either, not in any way that matters.”

Rip shook his head, “No. I can’t leave you Gideon. Not now. Not after everything-”

Gideon finally took a step towards him, her free hand coming up to rest on his cheek, “You’re not leaving me, Captain, you can’t. I will always be here. You have to go now, and I will be there when you wake up. Maybe not in this form, but I will be there. I always am.”

Rip looked down at the woman who had stood by his side for over a decade. She had stayed loyal to him though it all and guided him through everything. She had been his support and friend during his darkest days. And all she ever wanted was for him to be safe and happy.

So he did the only thing he could think of. He thanked her with a kiss. He pulled her towards him by her wrist and connected their lips. Her hand rested on his shoulder to support herself and his came around to her waist as he deepened the kiss. Rip could feel the world exploding around them, and he didn’t care in the slightest. Not as long as he had Gideon.

All too soon it was over and he could feel himself floating away. The next thing he knew he was gasping for air, a beeping noise in the background and bright lights in his line of sight.

“Where am I?” he moaned groggily.

“Home, you’re home,” a male voice answered.

Rip chuckled to himself. Home. He had to be sure, “Gideon?”

“I’m here, Captain,” Gideon answered soothingly.

Rip sighed against his chair with a slight laugh, “I’m home.” Finally.

 

* * *

 

It took him a while to notice – what with going after the spear, ending up on the moon, meeting alternate versions of themselves, things had been busy – but when it finally calmed down, Rip realized what was wrong. Gideon was avoiding him. It wasn’t like she could run out of a room like a human did, she was omnipresent throughout the ship. Yet somehow she managed to always avoid talking about the matter at hand with Rip. They had to talk it over, what he had seen in his mind – knowing that it had been real. They deserved a conversation. After everything that had happened – going evil, trying to kill the Legends, nearly losing the Spear of Destiny to the Legion – Rip had been just about ready to give it all up. He planned to sneak out of the Waverider when it was all over, but his alternate self from Doomworld had caught onto him. His other self had been adamant that Rip couldn’t abandon Gideon, not now, not after everything. Apparently, Rip had to talk to Gideon (he wondered what had happened between them during that year in Doomworld that made his other self so stubborn on this point). Of course that was easier said than done when dealing with a stubborn all-knowing AI.

It had been little things at first:

“Sorry Captain, Mr. Jackson needs my expertise on the engines.” – he knew Gideon was perfectly capable of multitasking.

“Captain, Doctor Palmer requires your attention on his latest project” – he didn’t, Gideon had suggested it and Ray had gone with it.

“Doctor Heywood and Mr. Rory have currently made a mess of the kitchen, they are in need of a reprimanding” – to be fair, Rip was fairly certain this one was coincidence, but he wouldn’t put it past Gideon to orchestrate it somehow.

The fact still stood that whenever Rip so much as uttered the word soulmate or tried to breach the subject Gideon switched tactics and something always interrupted them. Case in point, Gideon was avoiding him. It hurt more than he cared to admit.

Rip was brooding over this fact and must have fallen asleep, as he startled awake and found himself sitting in his study with an open book in his lap. The lighting had dimmed, so perhaps Gideon still cared for him in some small way. The ship was quieter than he was used to, normally everyone had different sleep schedules and there was almost always someone awake and wandering about. But now there was nothing but utter silence. It was somewhat eerie. Rip surmised that it must have gotten later than he had imagined and everyone had actually gone to bed by some miracle. Best not to question it. He tried to ignore the cold sensation running down his back that something was wrong – he tended to catastrophize at times – and got up to put his book away. As he passed his desk he realized what was wrong with the setup of the room.

“Jonas broke that lamp when he was three. It shouldn’t be here right now,” Rip spoke aloud to the empty room.

“Yes, he did. And then he proceeded to play with the shards of broken glass. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so panicked as you were then.”

Rip turned around to face the voice, “Yes well, as a newly minted father it was rather terrifying – and Miranda would have murdered me if he had gotten hurt. And she would have said ‘I told you so’ as she always did whenever she was right.”

“She was right about most things,” Gideon mused with a smile as she walked up next to Rip and started playing with the anomalous lamp.

Rip stared at her intently, “So, this isn’t real.”

“Depends on your definition of real, I suppose,” Gideon looked up to face him.

“It’s a dream,” Rip clarified.

“Yes. You’re currently safe asleep in your bed – physically anyways – as we speak,” Gideon assured him.

“But why?” Rip asked not understanding.

Gideon gave a small shrug, “You wanted to talk. I thought it might help if perhaps you saw me in human form to make it more tangible.”

“You know perfectly well I don’t need to see you to know you’re here,” Rip said tersely. Whether Gideon had a body or not didn’t bother him, he just needed answers. “You’re doing this because you don’t want me to remember our conversation.”

“That’s completely up to you, Captain,” Gideon stated. Though the way she avoided eye contact gave Rip all he needed to know.

He let the lie go for now and moved on, “You don’t usually visit my dreams. Not unless I’m having a nightmare.”

“You don’t like it when I do,” Gideon reminded him, “For some reason you would rather suffer needlessly than have me help you.”

“Same reason why I don’t let you read my mind, I like my personal space,” Rip muttered not wanting to get into a full-blown argument with his best friend.

“You wanted to talk,” Gideon repeated tonelessly. Rip didn’t miss the lack of the respectful ‘Captain’ tacked on at the end.

“Yes, but first can we?” Rip gestured to the seats in the study. Gideon nodded and Rip took her hand and led her over to an armchair. He took a seat in it and let her settle down on the arm. He took her wrist and stared at the zeros that marked it. She had no real body to show her timer, it still astounded him that it would show now.

“May I?” Rip asked for permission this time.

“Yes,” Gideon answered quietly.

Rip touched his wrist against hers and felt the electric shock run through his body. It felt like the zeros were searing through his skin, he almost wanted to let go, but he was scared of the loss of contact again. Slowly the thrill that tingled under his skin gave way to a warm feeling that started at his heart and expanded outwards.

“Can you feel that too?” Rip murmured. Gideon nodded, her eyes transfixed on him. Slowly Rip let go of her wrist and watched as Gideon breathed deeply. He cupped her cheek as he asked, “How long have you known?”

“I’m not quite sure. I suspected when we first met. I knew something happened, I felt it in my code, though I wasn’t sure what,” Gideon admitted.

“When did you realize?” Rip pressed.

Gideon bit her lip before answering, “As all AIs, I was programmed with the basic knowledge of soulmates. When I found out you had a timer I should have reported it-”

“But you didn’t,” Rip finished. He knew how deep Gideon’s loyalty to him ran, even early on. A part of him had once felt bad that the AI of his ship would choose him over the Time Masters. Now though, he only felt pride. It was Gideon who allowed him to steal a timeship and helped him overthrow the evil hierarchy.

Gideon nodded, “I couldn’t. There was this one day when you were fixing the mainframe system and one of my wires caught on your wrist – your timer. It – I felt it, Captain. It felt like-”

“Coming alive,” Rip finished for her. She had connected with him then, it was the only explanation. Gideon looked away shyly so Rip took it in agreement. He admitted, “I don’t remember that.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to. It was only routine maintenance,” Gideon waved it away, “I turned off momentarily but I was back online within seconds. But I never forgot that feeling. I couldn’t bear the thought of reporting you and losing that completeness. I did ask other AIs if they had ever felt anything like that for their captains, did a lot of research on soulmates, on technology being compatible with humans.”

“And?”

“Historical records are severely lacking in that area throughout all of time,” Gideon sulked. Rip chuckled at her frustration, at least now he understood why she felt so strongly about the research done on soulmates. Gideon looked at him, “I couldn’t find anything. Not one thing to explain this – us. I shouldn’t have a soulmate. It’s unheard of. It’s not possible.”

“And yet here we are,” Rip commented.

“Here we are,” Gideon parroted.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me?” Rip asked.

Gideon frowned, “What was there to tell?”

“Gideon-”

“You were married,” Gideon cut him off, “You had a child. And whatever you think of me, I wasn’t malfunctioning enough to be some sort of homewrecker.”

“You’re not malfunctioning,” Rip spoke sharply. He wouldn’t hear a word against Gideon, not even from herself. Then he backtracked, “Homewrecker?”

“Twenty first century colloquialism,” Gideon answered nonchalantly. Rip nodded slowly, he could understand the context even if he wasn’t used to the term and he could never think of Gideon like that. She had loved Miranda as much as he had.

“You should have told me,” Rip said quietly after a moment of silence.

“I weighed the outcomes and looked at the probabilities and decided there was no need to worry you, Captain,” Gideon told him, “It wouldn’t have made a difference. You thought Miranda was your soulmate-”

“I’m sorry,” Rip apologized. Not for falling in love with Miranda, he could never regret that. But for causing Gideon pain over it.

Gideon shrugged, a small smile gracing her face, “All I ever wanted was for you to be happy. Miranda and Jonas gave you that. Besides, even if I was supposed to be your soulmate, it didn’t have to be romantic. Look at Professor Stein and Mr. Jackson, they still have a good working relationship despite not being romantic soulmates.”

“Almost as good as ours,” Rip joked. He sobered, “Would you have ever told me?”

“Would it have made a difference? Are you planning on suddenly falling madly in love with me now that a mark tells you to?” Gideon sassed as she narrowed her eyes at him.

Rip placed his arms around her waist, rubbing circles against her body to calm her down. He said seriously, “A mark isn’t going to make me do anything I don’t already want to do. And there’s nothing sudden about it.”

“You love Miranda,” Gideon reminded him forcefully.

“Yes,” Rip agreed easily. He had finally come to terms with the loss he faced, but a part of him would always love Miranda and Jonas. They helped shape him into the man he was today. He continued on casually, “But I love you too. You know that.” It was hardly the first time he had said those words to her. Perhaps not as often as he used to, but she always turned off unexpectedly whenever he tried to tell her. Even now Gideon ducked her head and looked away from him.

“I love you,” Rip repeated, punctuating each word for emphasis. “You’re right, it doesn’t have to be romantic, but that kiss didn’t come out of nowhere.”

Gideon shook her head at him, “This isn’t real, Captain.”

“Depends on your definition of real,” Rip reminded her, “And you don’t need a body to be real. You already are, Gideon.”

“You can’t have this with me,” Gideon warned, “Not when you’re awake. Not even every time you’re asleep. You can’t hold me or touch me or-”

“And here I thought relationships were built on mutual trust and respect, not just the physical aspect of it all,” Rip teased. Gideon still looked miserable so Rip tucked a flyaway hair behind her ear and pulled her forehead against his.

“You deserve more than me, Captain,” Gideon whispered.

“I don’t want anything else,” Rip said just as quietly, “I was going to leave.” Gideon stiffened at this new piece of information but Rip pressed forward, “But instead I decided to stay.”

“Why?”

“Because I can’t bear the thought of leaving you. I’ve already told you that, I can’t do it. You give me strength and guidance when I need you most, Gideon. I don’t care if you don’t have a physical form, Gideon. You don’t need one to give me all that, all that I want. I just can’t bear the thought of losing you.” And it was true. After his loss of his family, Gideon was the one who kept him going. Who gave him hope with her never-ending optimism and dry humor. She was the one that soothed his nightmares and sang him back to sleep. If it hadn’t been for Gideon, Rip would have given up a long time ago.

“Are you sure you want this, Captain?” Gideon asked again.

“I’m sure, Gideon. I do,” Rip squeezed her wrist, “You?” Gideon simply nodded her head against his.

“So what does this make us?” Rip asked as he pulled Gideon properly into his lap. He enjoyed the squeak she let out as he did so.

Gideon’s hand trailed through his hair and down his beard as she answered, “It’s us. You’re my Captain first, always will be.”

“Good.” Rip let her tuck her head against his neck as he pressed their wrists together again. He could feel the fire licking against his wrist and the tremors moving through his body. Mostly though he focused on Gideon’s body against his, trying to memorize what it felt like to be this close to her.

“You’ll be waking up soon, Captain,” Gideon informed him.

Rip hummed, “I wish I could stay here with you.” He felt Gideon stiffen slightly in his arms and realized it had been the wrong thing to say. He tightened his hold on her and calmed her down, “I don’t need you to have a body; I already know you’re always there for me. I was mostly just thinking how nice and quiet it is without the Legends constantly bothering us. Besides, I rather like your constant presence on the ship.” It was so much easier to get her attention when she could always hear him. He felt Gideon shake in laughter against him and decided he was making amends.

“Am I going to remember this?” Rip asked fearfully.

“I’m not entirely sure,” Gideon admitted, “I think you will. I hope you will.”

“If I don’t, will you remind me?” Rip begged.

Gideon looked at him softly and placed a hand on his cheek as she whispered, “Time to wake up now, Captain.” She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his, their timers still connected.

Rip gasped as he bolted upright in his bed, the lights in his room flickering on. He looked around, his heart beating rapidly and frowned. There was something important, something he wanted to remember. Slowly the foggy memories filtered into his brain, like sand flowing in an hourglass.

“Gideon?” he called as he looked at the bedroom ceiling.

“Yes, Captain?” her musical voice filled the empty air.

“Was it real?” he asked. He needed the confirmation, that it hadn’t just been a figment of his imagination. That she had actually been there.

“Was what real?” Gideon answered pleasantly.

“Gideon!” Rip barked at her.

“Yes,” Gideon finally answered quietly after a few moments, “Depending on your definition of real.”

Rip leaned back against his pillows and sighed. “Real,” he repeated, answering his own question and reassuring Gideon. He could almost feel his lips tingling. His fingers brushed over his timer, it still burned, “Very real.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is also the last fic I have written unless I can get something done for tomorrow.
> 
> Kudos/comments with thoughts/comments if you liked/hated it? Thanks!


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